Ghost in the City

The next day I went into the net, and checked the NCTV server. Thankfully, thanks to my Perk gained knowledge I had slipped a few backdoors into the server as I breached it, so the netrunners never noticed me peaking in again. I was able to slip in without issue and double check the information.

Nothing yet. Yuto’s subscription was still set to the Japantown apartment.

I decided not to waste time trying to find him through cameras considering the sparseness of good cameras in Arroyo, and instead focusing on other things.

It turns out, I had a problem, and it was time to solve it.

While at the netrunner cave I opened up the batch of files that Yoko had sent over to me, and pulled out a quick hack I hadn’t really considered using before.

Vehicle hacks.

They were… Different from normal quick hacking, but vehicles did have computers that could be hacked just like anything else.

They just also tended to have much stronger defenses, but almost never outright Black ICE.

The idea was simple. I was going to take a Quick Hack that would make the on board computer think there was an emergency and brake hard.

The hack, like most of the stuff Yoko had sent me, was pretty rough. Full of extra data, or just terrible coding cycles.

I ripped out the important bit and started re-writing it from the ground up, not in the real world, but in my Server Lobby.

That way I could also sit down and finally do some more work for my Tachikoma as well.

I hadn’t been giving it the full attention it needed, so I was doing that while programming.

Sitting in my server lobby, feet up on the high end table, one hand programming what I needed my Tachikoma to do, cleaning up junk data, while the other worked on the hack was a pretty fun experience.

The cooling cap kept my Cyberdeck cool enough I wasn’t having any issues and it felt good to just sit and do some work.

“Why the hell does this code have data on heating seats!? It doesn’t fucking matter!” I yelled planning on sending Yoko a piece of my mind for always giving me such garbage to work with.

The hack really was simple enough. I would breach in using my own skills, so my knowledge from Strong Breach would let me just hammer through a vehicles defenses. This let me slim down the program by removing all the insertion protocols from the hack. Then I would dump it into the car’s processor. It would slam on the brakes thinking the engine was damaged.

It created a very slim program in the end, but I continued tinkering with streamlining the process. The many differences in car manufacturers was an annoyance, but even the cheapest Galena had an on board computer.

I just had to adjust the hack to be able to activate regardless of system. Locking down brakes was actually really easy, because anti-lock brakes all used computer systems.

I glanced over at the Tachikoma.

It was currently set up in a server section. A small maze I had created and it was navigating it.

For the first time the Tachikoma truly needed to use its intelligence to explore the maze, learning to move in a space that wasn’t clear to the poor thing…

Well right now it was just going in circles only taking the left path…

I sighed and sent an adjustment order, and it stopped letting the process get logged realizing it wasn’t going anywhere.

Then it took the left turn again.

Well… It was a learning process.

—--

I slurped up some noodles staring blankly at the television that was playing above the ramen bar.

Boring news, but whatever, it wasn’t like I was actually focused on it. I was just decompressing from staying twelve hours inside the net.

It wasn’t… Terrible. And I felt okay, but I definitely felt a little burned out.

Sluuuuurp.

I had checked on the NCTV connection again before logging out, but didn’t get anything. It wasn’t that much of a surprise. He had gotten in a nasty car crash and I probably shot him at least once. Healing, especially fast healing, was expensive. He was probably put together with tape and spit and left to heal naturally.

I doubt 6th Street cared that much about him after all.

Whatever plot they had for him was likely purely selfish. Yuto was a dead man walking. I could only wonder if he knew it already.

News flicked onto commercials and I ignored the stupid thing trying to sell me Buck a Slice and continued to zone out.

Stupid Yuto. I could be doing more important things than hunting his gonk ass down.

Suddenly notes startled me out of my reverie and I jerked as I stared at the TV.

At the sounds of old brass and thrumming strings.

A song I recognized because the only reason it existed in Night City was because of me.

“Mr. Stud, All night. Every Night. Don’t be soft, upgrade to version 2.3 now.”

I spit Ramen. Noodles escaped me, and one particular one went straight up my sinuses and out my nose.

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No.

No no no no!

Not Tank! They couldn’t have! They used Tank to sell Cyber Dicks!?

“Hey, watch it!” The owner of the stand yelled at me waving a ladle at me, but I was too busy coughing and hacking and pulling a noodle out of my nose.

This was….

I stood up. Appetite completely killed. Tossing some eddies to the chef I stomped out.

What the fuck?

—--

I knew Hiromi wouldn’t be entirely sympathetic, so instead I went looking for a kinder touch.

“It’s not right!” I whined, and Misty nodded at me slowly, fighting off her obvious amusement as she tried to be understanding.

“I can understand how it might be embarrassing.” Misty added, doing her best to keep her lips from twitching.

“I’m really not feeling the love Misty.” I grumbled, but her grin just got a little wider.

“It’s not something I have any advice for, but if you want to hear something… Let it go. It’s gone and done. You already said you didn’t feel like you could do anything about it, right?”

I grumbled poking at the mystic stuff Misty had on her desk, but in the end she was right. I wasn’t going to go killing people for this, and I had sold it. I just didn’t expect to hear my song on a- I shook it off. “It just sucks.”

“Well if you don’t like it, you should make enough songs that you never have to mind if one of them is used for something you don’t like.” Misty offered almost too casually.

I felt my eyes narrow as Misty did her best to continue to look casual.

“Did Hiromi put you up to this?” I demanded quietly and Misty finally broke, her forced casualness breaking into giggles.

“No, but she did mention about your big concert and all the songs you wrote.” Misty said as she pouted at me. “I wasn’t invited?”

“I-it isn’t like that! I wasn’t planning on inviting anyone! It was supposed to be… Just me really, but my chooms have no respect for my imminent mental breakdowns.” I grumbled continuing to poke at the golden faux-Buddha on her desk.

“Hmm… I’ll forgive you… If I get invited to the next one.”

I groaned, flopping onto the table. “I’m not sure if there will be another time. This was supposed to be just a one off thing.”

“Hmm.” Misty very overdramatically hummed as I looked up from the buddha to glare at her.

“Stop psychoanalyzing me.”

“Me? Never, but your Chakras fluctuate every time-”

“Oh no you don’t! Calling it spiritualism doesn’t change anything. I don’t need a psychologist… Well I probably do, but that’s another story, and not for this. I just wanted the musicI make to not be about dicks!” I said and then sighed. “And I only planned on it being a me thing.”

“And if that is all it ever ends up, that’s fine. But I did see the Concert Brain Dance. I don’t usually like them, but Hiromi gave me one and I checked it out.”

“Ughhhh.” I whined embarrassed.

“You had fun. I know because I had fun.” Misty said and I puffed out my cheeks as I glared at her.

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Okay. You don’t have to accept your own feelings yet, but the longer you wait, the more your chakra will be thrown out of alignment. And… If you can accept my own thoughts? I think you should explore this aspect of yourself. Instead of trying to hide it away.”

“I’ll think about it.” I grumbled, but Misty just smiled as if she had already won, which annoyed me because she was likely right.

“Fine! I’m going to go check in with Vik, get an exam done while I’m here.” I grumbled, and Misty just laughed at me, as I very obviously fled. Maybe Vik would commiserate with me?

Then I considered Vik’s dad-energy and I felt like he would probably laugh and tease me more than Misty. Best not to mention it.

—--

I felt looser after Vik checked me over. Routine maintenance was actually, a pretty nice feeling. Well that and Vik had poked me about how rough I was with my hands. I had worn down my grippers faster than normal.

I looked at my new fingertips plinking them together enjoying the dull sound as the ruber-ish tips gave me extra grip.

“Having fun?” A familiar voice called out and I only took a second before flipping the bird at the approaching man. “That hurts Hermanita.” Jackie offered, hands to his chest pretending I had struck him but his smile ruined it.

“It’s been a while Jack, going to see Vik?”

“That’s right! Got a delivery for the old man.” He said, patting the bag in his hand and I couldn’t help but look at it curiously.

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Ah ah ah. Can’t reveal that Hermanita! Jack’s on the job. Confidential stuff.” He said waving his eyebrows and I just quirked my own eyebrow back at him.

“But if the old ripper opens it, then it’s up to him to keep it secret eh?”

I smiled as I turned and waved at the steps down to Vik's lair. I followed Jackie down and Vik looked up at the sudden entrance, his smile turning deeper as he saw me and Jackie.

“If you broke something already, I’m not fixing it.” He said directly at me, and I just huffed as Jackie started chuckling just as loud. The two men’s laughter syncing together into a mock track.

“Whatever.” I demanded arms crossed and glared until Jackie raised his arms in surrender.

“Alright, alright Hermanita put the phasers away.” He begged and then turned to Vik. “Delivery for you, you old ripper. Compliments of the Dragon of-”

“Jack, stop making up names for Mrs. Okada. She doesn’t like it.” Vik cut Jackie off, but took the bag and opened it up. “And as always her contacts are good.” Vik said.

“What is it?” I asked popping up at his side to try and peak in. But despite Vik’s flinch at my sudden appearance the glance inside the bag wasn’t fun. “Oh it’s just some parts.”

“Heh, certainly nothing that will interest you Motoko. Just some parts for a client.” He said as he placed down the bag and started pulling out pieces.

I took note of them, but it really was just civilian stuff. Even a canister of Real Skinn.

“Well that’s it for me.” Jackie offered stretching out. “Don’t usually like being a courier but.” Jackie trailed off shrugging and I nodded.

Wakako was like that.

But considering Jackie was here, and I was still waiting on Yuto’s reappearance… “Hey Jackie. Want to grab a drink, on me?” I asked, and Jackie looked hesitant, obviously but in the end he seemed to pull himself together.

“I’m on my way back to the Coyote, meet me there?”

“Sure!”

—--

“So this gonk is being hidden by 6th Street!”

“Heh, you certainly don’t have much luck with them do you?” Jackie joked as he tipped back his drink.

“I guess not.” I agreed, remembering the last time I had called on Jackie had been for trouble in Arroyo. “Don’t suppose you have any 6th Street contacts that could find out why they are protecting Yuto?”

“I know some chooms, and some gonks sure.” Jackie said, tipping back another swallow.

“Don’t listen to him, Jackie has chooms all over.” Pepe the bartender cut in, the man smirked at Jackie’s scoffing retort.

“Jackie is good about making allies out of the strangest people.” I said, thinking about V.

“Yeah well, this time I can’t help. Everyone knows this is a 6th Street and Tyger thing. If I asked around people’d start asking why I want to get involved.” He said to me, and I nodded.

“Thanks anyway.” I said, but then I looked him over and decided to peel off the bandage. “You know… You never got back to me, about working with me more.”

“I’ve been busy.” He said pointedly and I just nodded letting it go.

I wasn’t here to push anyways, but if Jackie was satisfied doing courier work… Which I knew he wasn’t.

“Well if you ever need any backup, don’t hesitate to call. But I still need to figure out this 6th Street thing.”

“Wait.” He said reaching out to touch my shoulder but he didn't actually grab me. “Definitely seems like trouble. Gang politics, not just scraps between the pendejos at the bottom? Risky shit Hermanita. You be careful. Be ready to bail at the first sign something is off.”

“I will Jack. I got my chooms with me too. I’ll be careful though.”

The older man nodded, and then seemed like he wanted to say more, but instead of continuing he just reached over and slapped a meaty hand on my shoulder in goodbye.

—-

*Motoko: I got him. Going to do some recon, but everyone should get ready...*

The message was sent. I had checked into the NCTV system again and found that Yuto had once again accessed his TV sub.

It’s always good that people are too stupid to really keep themselves off the net.

I got the notifications back and then I sighed as I readied the next message.

*Motoko: I got Yuto’s current position.*

*Fujimura: Excellent. I will assist.*

*Motoko: Feel free to send some people to come along if you want, but he isn’t in a position to really get. I’m going to have to hit Yuto like this is an assassination. Sorry you are just going to get a BD of his death. I doubt I’m going to be able to drag him out from where they got him hiding.*

*Fujimura: Very well. Just make sure the kill is obvious through the BD if you can.*

*Motoko: That I can do.*

I rose up and stretched, disconnecting from my Netrunner chair. I had the address, it was time.

I headed out to the Quadra already considering the best way to do this. I’ll admit, I was pretty angry about this entire situation. From the start I didn’t like it, and this had gone on long enough.

I slipped into the Quadra after the short jog to the parking lot I had left her in.

My chooms had already sent me a marker for a meetup point, but I was going to be a little late. I needed to do some scouting first.

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